This continuing education course is for coffee professionals and ambitious coffee enthusiasts around the world who:

•  want to go beyond their coffee skills and acquire a solid scientific foundation in the topic of coffee processing.
• are familiar with coffee processing and want to do a deep dive including chemical and physical processes of the bean.
• are interested in taking the CAS in Coffee Excellence but missed the registration deadline or still need help deciding if the full course is suitable.
• are interested in the following coffee topics: coffee quality, challenges in the coffee value chain, crop yields and seasons, systematic overview of different processing methods and accurate comparisons, processing and fermentation innovation, aroma chemistry, moisture content and water activity, sustainability aspects, a scientific approach to the topic of coffee processing.

• Acquire in-depth knowledge on all aspects of coffee processing including its significance for flavour formation and quality.
• Learn in a remote and flexible course format suitable for professionals.
• Develop critical thinking skills to examine various facets of coffee processing.
• Integrate knowledge on coffee processing into a professional context.

• Lesson 1.0 Introduction
• Lesson 1.1 Coffee Harvesting

This lesson will explore various coffee harvesting methods, including cherry selection and the “grower’s dilemma” regarding production costs. It will exam harvest seasons in major coffee-producing countries and emphasize the critical timing of the harvest for all participants in the coffee value chain.

• Lesson 1.2 Wet Mill

The lesson will delve into various processing steps from cherry to dried green beans. It will discuss the three primary processing options at the wet mill and their impact on coffee's sensory attributes. Additionally, it will touch upon the by-products of green coffee processing and highlight the significance of moisture content in coffee storage for food safety. Moreover, the lesson will explore the role of flavor formation during processing, examine various processing methods practiced around the world, and introduce unique concepts such as co-fermented and infused coffees, expanding the understanding of coffee's diverse and dynamic nature.

• Lesson 1.3 Dry Mill

This lesson will focus on processing green beans in the dry mill after leaving the wet mill. It will detail the stages of cleaning, sorting, and grading green coffee, highlighting different parameters and associated technologies. Additionally, it will cover essential considerations for safe bagging and preparation of coffee for transportation and export.

• Lesson 1.4 Defects

In this short lesson, we will investigate how we can classify primary and secondary defects in coffee. We will also take closer look at the causes of some of the main defects that can be found in coffee and how to identify them.

• Lesson 1.5 Conclusion and Session Quiz

This course is delivered in a self-study format which includes:

• Reading slides.
• Tutorial and learning videos.
• Sources and links for further reading.
• Session quiz to self-test your knowledge.
• Online Learning Platform (Moodle) to exchange with other participants.
• Interactive discussion forum for questions that will be answered by the course instructor.

Session Quiz (online, Multiple Choice)

Course dates and registration deadlines 2024:

• 28 March - 25 April 2024 with registration deadline on 21 March 2024.
• 16 May - 13 June 2024 with registration deadline on 9 May 2024.
• 15 August - 12 September 2024 with registration deadline on 8 August 2024.
• 24 October - 21 November 2024 with registration deadline on 17 October 2024.

• Dr. Sebastian Opitz
• Team of the Coffee Excellence Center ZHAW Wädenswil.
• Expert talks (recorded videos) with: Dr. Mario Fernández, technical director at the SCA and Sasa Sestic from Ona Coffee.

Course Admin:

• Sabine de Castelberg
• Sierra Wen Xin Yeo
• Martina Vaculikova